12/24 Month Restriction
If you have used a J visa before, there are restrictions on when you can re-enter the United States as a J-1 research scholar or professor.
You may need to wait 1 or 2 years after your previous program’s end date before beginning a second program. These restrictions are known as the 12-month bar and the 24-month bar.
Do the Restrictions Apply to You?
These restrictions apply to you only if:
- You plan to work as a J-1 research scholar or professor. Restrictions do not affect your eligibility to obtain a visa in another J-1 category, such as short-term scholar, specialist, or student
And if you have:
- Previously completed a J-1 exchange program, or
- Accompanied a J-1 visitor as a dependent J-2 family member
The restrictions apply at any university or institution in the United States, not just WSU.
The 2-year home residency requirement is unrelated to the 12- or 24-month bars. You may be subject to one and not the other.
How Long You Need to Wait
If you plan to enter a J-1 professorship or research scholar program after completing a previous J program, the following wait times apply.
Countdown begins the day after your SEVIS record becomes inactive or terminated. Check your DS-2019 (box number 3) to confirm your dates of participation in a previous program.
| Your current or previous J visa category | Previous J program duration | Wait time for a new J-1 Research Scholar/Professor visa |
|---|---|---|
| J-1 research scholar/professor | Any amount of time (1 day to 5 years) | 24 months |
| Any J-1 category other than research scholar/professor | 6 months or more | 12 months |
| J-2 dependent of J-1 research scholar/professor | 6 months or more Less than 6 months | 24 months No wait |
| J-2 dependent of any J-1 category other than research scholar/professor | 6 months or more Less than 6 months | 12 months No wait |
| Short-term scholar | No wait |